At the end of 2016, a team from the ministry inspected Shanghai's environmental work for a month, and their findings were disappointing. According to the team, Shanghai has been “slacking off” in its efforts to combat pollution for the last several years.

Law enforcement was found to be woefully inadequate, with pollution fines too small to discourage offenders. The team also discovered that some 800 companies ordered to close up shop back in 2013 were still operating.

Among some of the other major problems uncovered by the team were illegally dumped waste and dangerous landfill materials seeping into the city’s water supply.

The South China Morning Post reports that local governments are a key battleground in the war on pollution. But with officials turning a blind eye to violations in order to protect jobs and revenue sources, this has proven to be a difficult battle.